Cupidus
. Appearance A golden mask hid its face from view, but orange eyes with slit-like pupils stared out at from beneath the strangely skull-like, gemstone-ornamented metal, and a heavy cloak hid the rest of it from view, billowing like smoke around the entity. Only a pink, rat-like tail was visible, the tip of this swaying slowly even smaller than young Ardent Desire The demon made an almost-irritated gesture, revealing a skeletal claw covered in stretched white skin from one long sleeve of its cloak Family bonds None known, as all that is known of Cupidus' past is contained within the short description that he was a "pure-blooded noble devil, born and raised in Helheim". (Rising Fire (chapter 7, scene 1)) Story "I was a... business associate to a demon lord, who has... passed on, as I believe mortals colloquially phrase it. He was very fond of your mother. I have now taken over his accounts and manage his former assets: when you tried to call upon him tonight with your crude summoning, I heard you instead." (RF c01) Cupidus was apparently a major player in Helheim, who held influence over vast territories and had his claws in almost every business deal across the icy abyss. He was a broker, a banker, and an investor, with a knack for always finding the right business opportunity to pour his wealth into. He had also learned that years ago, Cupidus had been involved in a dispute with a powerful demon named Magister... a name that Burning had only heard the devil mention once before, and he thought even then it had been a rare slip of the devil's tongue. Magister had been a Pride demon who had refused to do business with Cupidus, and made a point of always choosing other Greed entities to help manage his assets. This had apparently caused Cupidus considerable frustration and even started to bite into his bottom line... until the day Magister had vanished, that was, and Cupidus had seized Magister's assets through bribery, blackmail, and abusing Hell's legal system. Character but Cupidus always used carmine red. "Because traditionally, all important documents are signed in blood. But Cupidus doesn't have any blood. So he overcompensates." <- Polly, It's one of the two subjects that Cupidus is oh-so-very sensitive about. I've seen him order demons killed just for mentioning it! Cupidus was neither forgiving nor lenient Burning Desire had learned that Cupidus only grew tense when there was a particular kind of business deal hanging in the air. The size, the type, the legality or morality of it didn't matter: what made the difference was whether or not Cupidus was dealing with Churlin. "Duke Magister and I did not see eye-to-eye on things. I desire wealth and power... and he insisted on getting in my way every step of the path I had planned out for myself. He was foolish and weak, and he was the first soul I had the reapers seize after I bought their loyalty. They cost many souls to upkeep but... thanks to mortals like yourself, I never have to fear a shortage." Abilities there were always loopholes to be exploited, and people to be twisted. Both things Cupidus was clearly skilled at doing. I cannot read your mind while you are inside that protective ward, but I can see your thoughts clearly all the same Moving Ardent's manse "Outside, dark shadows whispered back and forth around the manse, as Cupidus stood on the front lawn and calmly watched. Helena had asked for his assistance, and while the devil thought that perhaps Ardent Desire's influence was getting even to the demon mare, he also understood her reasoning. If Ardent Desire died, it would reflect poorly on him, and everything he had promised: practicality demanded a small feat of power. And besides, Helena also noted there was an easy source of additional payment, right under their noses. Electricity crackled over the walls of the structure, as vibrations ran through the inside of the house: soon, the building was rising into the sky, towards a dark, rumbling cloud through which violet lightning was streaking back and forth, as rubble and pieces of sod floated silently up in the reversal of gravity that had gripped the structure. Cupidus watched as gradually, the manse vanished into the cloud before there was a bright purple flash... and then everything was simply gone, the only sign the building had ever stood in this empty field the crater of dirt left behind. The devil glanced coldly back and forth, then nodded once to himself: he trusted that Helena would oversee the rest of the process. For now, he had assets to attend to, as his orange eyes meditatively roved over the dead and prone bodies of slave hoof servants and Pegasi that had been sacrificed by the Kelpies as payment, their bodies slain, their blood drained, their souls... taken. Cupidus thought it was a fair exchange, but to him, life and death were both matters of economic exchange, and the values of the living, their corpses, and even their very souls could be determined the same way he would a gemstone. The clarity, the cut, the rarity, the quality, and weight." (Rising Fire, chapter 2 scene 2) Contract But Cupidus only calmly held up his free hand even as he allowed the scroll to unroll in the other, revealing a few runes across the top... but nothing else written on the parchment. Ardent Desire's mouth worked, his breathing picking up as he whimpered a little, wondering if this was some kind of sick joke before the devil instructed: "You must speak your exact wish, Ardent Desire. Announce your name, and then tell me what you want, and do not hold back. And you must also use the phrase: 'and I pledge my soul and service to the devil that holds this contract, until such time as my payment is fulfilled.' You must be specific, or the contract will be voided." - Ardent Desire opened his eyes, and then he stared across at the contract, seeing that his own words had formed in black ink across it... and below, a line drew itself, ending in an X. The unicorn trembled for a moment, looking across at this before Cupidus said quietly: "You must sign your name, or spill your blood upon the contract. Either will suffice as agreement, as long as your blood is given willingly." "Blood?" Ardent Desire shivered a bit, then he looked back and forth before wincing when Cupidus pulled a fountain pen out of his cloak, with a tip that glinted sharply, dangerously. "Yes. Blood. Blood is the signature of the soul. To most demons and courts of Helheim, a mark in blood has preference over a signed name, so long as it is placed by the entity that holds legal claim to it." Cupidus replied, and Ardent Desire looked stumped for a moment before the devil shook his head. "Just mark the contract with the pen, Ardent Desire. And your wishes will come true." (Rising Fire, chapter 4 scene 1) Category:Characters Category:Demons Category:Greed